Improvement in combined corn-dropper and cultivator



I timidi time v-tatrn't @Mitica P. P. GARDNER, OF STONEBOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent N 92,184, dated .guly 6, 1869.

IMPRQVEMENT IN COMBINED'CORN-DROPPER AND C ULTIV The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all -whom it may concern:

ings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view, with hopper removed.

Figure 2 is a bottom view.

Figure 3, side elevation.

Figure 4, plan view of hopper, with sliding lid.

Figure 5, perforated slide. v

Figure 6, hooked lever-joint, and section of lever for operating perforated slide.

Figure 7, hanow.

'M y invention relates to a combination corn-dropper and cultivator, which may be readily converted from acombination to a simple implement, viz, a cultivator; and consists particularlytin the construction, arrangement, and operation of the various parts or mechanism comprising and attached'to the corn-dropping portion of the -combination-implement, so that the whole operates to form drills to drop the grainin separate quantities, the amonntfof which may he regnlated'as required to cover the grain in suitable hills and roll the earth.

In order that a clearv and definite idea may be had of my invention, I submit the following detailed description of the same, and

First, the cultivator best adaptedv is that shown in the accompanying drawings, having a V-shaped frame, consisting ofthe centre-bar A and the oblique bars A, hinged or pivotednear the forward end to' bar A. Said oblique hars are provided, near their tear ends, withthe adjusting bars A2 extending at right angles therefrom, and crossing each other within a slot formed in the centre-bar A, in which they are held and adjusted by the pin a, said adjusting bars being provided with a series ot' holes each, for such purpose.

Attached to the cnlti'vator-fraine are the adjustable handles b, which are pivoted to the ends of a crosspie'ce, a', situated about midway Abetween the ends of the cultivato1-ti'ame, andare raised and lowered by means oi' the hook-ended rods b', which, being attached to the frame of the cultivator, have their hook-ends inserted in holes in the handles.

It is alsoJprovided with a number of teeth, for the purpose of iorniing the drills, and cultivating, one of which, B, for-drills, is placed in the centre ot' the cultimtor-ii'ame, attached to the forward part of the centre piece A, and the others to the obliqnebars A'. A seed-opening, c, is formed in the centre piece A, immediately back of the drill B, to correspond with a similar opening on the frame of the corn-druppel'.

When used in combination with the corn-dropper, the cultivator has a pair of wheels, l), which have their axle-bearing in the oblique bars A.

The axle of these wheels is providedwith an oval cam, D, resting against or nea-r theinner surface of o ne of the wheels, andl also with a crown-toothed wheel, D?, or equivalent gearing-device," situated near o against the opposite wheel.

,Said wheels are removable by widening the culti vator, which is done bymeans of the adjusting-bars before mentioned. Y

Second, the part marked E is the frame or bed of the corn-dropper, of the general form represented in the drawings attached to the centre piece A of the cnltivator-frame by removable bolts, screws, or equiv' alents,"e, inserted at each end of the bed. y

F FV are curved arms, pivoted to the sides-of the bed or frame E, thence reaching back, are joined by a cross-bar, G, and Vprovided with a land-roller, H,

.working on a swinging-axle, the ends of which are held by staples attached to the cross-bars,^ or in any other suitable manner.- The cross-piece G contains on its under side a curved row of barrow-teeth, G', of different lengths, increasing in size from the middle towards eachend, so as to aid in forming hills, leaving the corn covered in the centre of the hills three inches, or as deep asl desired.

The arms F F extend back between the wheels, and tend downward at their rear ends.

The arm I1", which passesover and rests on the cam D, is so formed, as clearly shown infig. 3, thatltshall, with its several connections, vizl the harrow and roller, be ,alternately raised and permitted to fall by the cam, and is down when passing over each hill of corn, and upf when passing between them, thus leaving all stones or rough clods.

0n the under side of the corn-droppcr frame is a shaft, K, extending lengthwise of the frame, to one side from the centre, and has its bearings in the staples or boxes l' l, oneof which, l, is connected directly with the frame E, and the other with a bevelled f block, m, fitting in a dovetailed recess, directly above which is a slot, holding a screw, m', attached to bevelled block.

The shaft K is formed at a point under the hookended arm hereafter described, with a crank, which, as the shaft revolves, takes hold of hook-ended arm, and communicates motion to its different connections.

This shaft holds a gear-wheel, D, having two faces, on each of which is aditfereut-sized row of teeth. It is operated by the wheels D.

' In thev forward part of the frame E, a recess or box,

N, is formed, nearly half the length thereof, and almost as wide as the frame, which is covered -bya slidinglid, M, having a seed-opening, and a hopper, O.

At the forward end of the said recess is a seedopening, which communicates with a similar opening in the cultivator centre-piece A.`

Over these openings is a slide, P, perforated toward one end, as shown.`

This slide is grooved in one side, and an arm, p, pivoted therein, which ends in a semioircular recess, p', and is provided with an eye to hold end of lever Q.

Q is an S-shaped lever, pivoted to the arm p, thence curving across the box, and to itsrear end is fulernmed about the centre, and pivoted to an arm, R, extending across the recess N, and terminating in a downward hook in a slot, S, on the side of the frame on which is the shaft K.

Tis a slide, to cover the discharge-opening in hopper, when it is not desirable to drop the corn, and also to regulate the amount of' discharge.

Q isa spring in recess N, to return lever Q to its place, when moved. y

Q", spring, to return slide when backing the machine.

The operation of the corn-dropper is as follows:

The corn being placed in the hopper, drops into the perforations in the slide, which is then, by the devices described, moved until the perforations correspond with the seed-openings in the frames, out of which it drops, and is followed by the teeth of the cultivator with the harrow and roller.l

The distance of the corn-hills may be regulated by reversing the gear-wheel D3, orV by substituting a smaller or larger wheel, as desirable.' y

Avery important point in this invention is that the corn is not dropped in backing the implement; in which case the ,perforated slide is moved toward the nearer side of the recess, and not over the opening.

T is a standing block in the bottom of the hopper,

to conduct the cornor seed to the opening.

saisi rIhe attachments marked A3, designated as teeth in the foregoing description, it will be seen, are somewhat of the shape of common plowsha'res. They are attached to the oblique bars A' by removable bolts, or equivalents, so that in planting corn they may be used with their landsides inward, -so as to throw the earth over the corn, but when cultivating simply,they are to be changed from one side of the cuitivator to the. other, thus throwing the earth outward.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The slide p, lever Q,springs Q Q, arm R, shaft K, arranged and operated by suitable gearing and driving-wheels, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth. 4

2. The roller H, barrow G, arms F F,'cam D, and driving-wheels D, in combination with the elements oi' first claim., and V-shaped eultivator, when arranged itndlopelating substantially as and for the purpose set oit l.

3. In combination with the frame E and the shaft K, the bevelled block m, with screw m', as and for the purpose specified.

4. ln combination with the rollers H, barrow G, arms F F', cam D, and driving-wheels D, theadjustable teeth or shares A3,' substantially as specified.

- P. P. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

J. O. HILL, M. Davis. 

